Sacramento city leaders voted to make large-scale medical marijuana cultivation legal in Sacramento. KCRA 3’s Tom Miller has the details on the new rules for the cash crop.

Sacramento city leaders voted to make large-scale medical marijuana cultivation legal in Sacramento. KCRA 3’s Tom Miller has the details on the new rules for the cash crop.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 11:56 PM PST Feb 2, 2016

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT E CASH CRO TOM: WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE SACRAMENTO BECOMES THE LARGEST CITY IN CALIFORNIA TO ALLOW LARGE-SCALE MEDICAL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION. THE CITY ESTIMATES REVENUE FROM TAXES COULD BRING IN A BOUT A MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR AND TONIGHT THE COUNCIL PASSED IT UNANIMOUSLY. SACRAMENTO WAREHOUSES FULL OF MARIJUANA PLANTS COULD SOON BE THE NORM, AS TUESDAY THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED GROWING MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN BOTH AGRICULTURAL AND COMMERCIAL ZONES. IT'S A DECISION BEING APPLAUDED BY THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY. >> IT'S PHENOMENAL WHEN A CONSERVATIVE TOWN LIKE SACRAMENTO CHOSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS INDUSTRY INSTEAD OF PRETENDING THAT IT'S NOT THERE LIKE A LOT OF OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO. TOM: THE NEW ORDINANCE ASKS GROWERS TO APPLY FOR A CULTIVATION PERMIT. BUT THE CITY IS STILL WORKING ON HOW MANY PERMITS TO ISSUE AND HOW TO INSPECT FACILITIES. >> THE FEAR OF DOING TOO MANY IS I GUESS BEING A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION HUB, I' NOT SO SURE THAT THAT'S THE IMAGE THAT WE WANT TO HAVE IN SACRAMENTO. TOM: IT'S A CONCERN SHARED BY TRACY SCHAAL, SHE OVERSEES A BUSINESS GROUP IN SOUTH EAST SACRAMENTO, WHERE MUCH OF THE CULTIVATION IS EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE. >> I THINK THE QUESTIONS WE HAVE AT THIS POINT REALLY REVOLVE AROUND THE NUMBER OR FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF CITY OF SACRAMENTO AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE. TOM: UNDER THE ORDINANCE GROWERS ARE ALLOWED TO FILL INDOOR FACILITIES OF UP TO 22,000 SQUARE FEET. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW LARGE 22,000 SQUARE FEET IS WE FOUND A BUILDING COMPARABLE IN SIZE, ABOUT 18,000 SQUARE FEET . WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW LONG IT FIXED TO WALK AROUND. ACCORDING TO THE TIMER ON MY PHONE, THREE MINUTES, 26 SECOND ANOTHER WAY, 22,000 SQUARE FEET IS ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF FOUR AND A HALF NBA BASKETBALL COURTS. >> THAT IS A LOT OF WORK. TOM: CULTIVATOR RICHARD MILLER SAYS THAT LARGE OF A FACILITY ISN'T FEASIBLE FOR MOST. >> PEOPLE DON'T SEEM TO REALIZE HOW HARD IT IS TO GROW CANNABIS, AND I WOULD DO IT ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE. TOM: SMALL OR LARGE SCALE, BOTH BECOMING LEGAL. WITH A FLAT TAX OF 4%, SACRAMENTO IS NOW IN LINE FOR BIG MONEY FROM A BUDDING BUSINESS. CULTIVATION WILL NOT BE ALLOWED NEAR SCHOOLS OR CITY PARKS. THE CITY IS DECIDING IF THE LIMIT WILL BE 600 FEET O A THOUSAND FEET. LIVE IN SACRAMENTO, TOM MILLER. EDIE: JUST TO BE CLEAR THE CITY PASSED THE ORDINANCE IT'S STILL HAMMERING OUT SOME DETAILS? TOM: YES, THE CITY WAS UP AGAINST A STATE DEADLINE THAT YOU CAN APPROV IT OR LOSE IT WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION. THE CITY OPTED TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE, BUT IT WON'T TAKE EFFECT FOR 45 DAYS TIME TO WORK

Sacramento legalizes large-scale medical marijuana grows

Sacramento city leaders voted to make large-scale medical marijuana cultivation legal in Sacramento. KCRA 3’s Tom Miller has the details on the new rules for the cash crop.